Restaurateur Edwin Zoe, who with his mom co-owns Zoe Ma Ma (2010 10th St., 303-545-6262) in that Front Range town, is opening a fine-dining establishment focusing on classic American fare. He will launch it in North Boulder at 1265 Alpine Ave., in the home of the just-closed Radda Trattoria.

“Radda was a wonderful restaurant,” said Edwin, who two years ago became a controlling partner in the restaurant. “But I felt the great space — and the neighborhood — would be better served with a different concept. I have long hoped for a fine diner in Boulder, and now we are going to build just that.”

Zoe hasn’t set a firm date, but he hopes to have the 100-seat restaurant open in June in the wake of its remodeling.

The story behind the name: Zoe was always fond of jazz great Ella Fitzgerald, and planned to name his daughter after the singer. But a border-collie mix puppy arrived before the daughter, and corralled the name.

Arf!

Paul Attardi, a veteran maitre’d who helped shepherd Old Major (3316 Tejon St., 720-420-0622) through a challenging stretch of staff turnovers, is leaving the popular restaurant at month’s end.

Attardi, who rose to prominence on the Denver hospitality scene during his stint as maitre’d and co-proprietor of Fruition, stepped in last May after Old Major fired manager and sommelier Jonathan Greschler, a move that began the staff churn at the popular LoHi spot.

“During the past year, Paul has helped us create an amazing level of service and experience for our customers,” Justin Brunson, executive chef and co-owner of Old Major, said in an e-mail. “Paul brought years of hospitality experience and wonderful relationships to our Old Major family. He has been touted as one of the mainstays of hospitality in Denver, and we were blessed to have him with us.”

Attardi could not be reached for comment, but the announcement said he was “going to enjoy the summer and spend time with his family.”

“I think the No. 1 skill you need is to really, really like people,” he said. “If you don’t like people, you won’t be good at the job.”

A debonair presence who understood the need to please customers, Attardi often went beyond the call of duty.

During an earlier stint at Mizuna, he recalled a regular who always asked for a to-go ice-cream order for her husband. Getting the dessert home and intact was a tricky task. But Attardi rigged a plastic bucket with ice and figured out a way to box and pack the ice cream. The result: a happy customer.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop opens today at 2720 S. Colorado Blvd., bringing a taste of the Windy City to the Mile High one.

The Chicago-based chain, which is known for bringing live music into its venues, plans additional expansions within the coming months. The shop will employ about 20 workers and is open daily from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Opening day will be an oven-warming party — the shop’s sandwiches are toasted — that will benefit nearby Most Precious Blood Catholic School. Local musician Porter Hand will perform.

And a closing: Restaurateur Robert Thompson has shuttered Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar, his room dedicated to Gallic cooking that sat at 1512 Curtis St.

“Le Grand is such a beautiful room and we really thought we were going to be the team that could make that space work,” said Thompson, who opened the restaurant in the venerable Baur Building in 2011. “When I saw the place it just screamed ‘brasserie’ to me. That’s my favorite type of restaurant concept.”

Closing Le Grand lets Thompson concentrate full-time on Argyll Whisky Beer, a new incarnation of the popular gastropub he ran in Cherry Creek. Come June 7, Argyll opens in the former Las Margaritas space at 1035 E. 17th Ave., which is being remodeled.

Beyond that, there’s The Griffin, which is in the works on Brighton Boulevard, and expansions across the country for Punch Bowl Social (65 Broadway, 303-765-2695), Thompson’s cavernous restaurant and bar. PBS plans 2014 openings in Austin, Texas, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle and perhaps two other markets in 2015.

Restaurant critic William Porter is a feature writer at The Denver Post, where he covers food, culture and people. He joined the news outlet in 1997. Before that, he spent 14 years covering politics and popular culture at The Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic. He is a native of North Carolina.

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